Personality Test

At SUMO, we’re all about helping creatives break out of their boxes – and the better you understand yourself, the better equipped you are to do this.

Based on the classic DISC personality test, the SUMO test assesses your working style, motivations and traits to help you celebrate your strengths and work on your flaws. It can also help you to better communicate with, understand and collaborate with your colleagues – and, with an understanding of each of the SUMO personality types, you can quickly identify your interviewer’s type and adjust your style accordingly.

This test works by identifying which of the four following characteristics is dominant in your personality: STABILITY/USEABILITY/MOTIVATIONAL /OBSTINATE. Remember there is no superior combination of these different elements. We’re all a combination of all four. You can learn more about each of these traits and what they mean at the end of the test.

It’s important that you answer truthfully, rather than selecting the answer you think is best – this test is just for you, so it won’t help you otherwise!

Ready to find out your SUMO type? Let’s get started!

Section 1 – Situational

Imagine yourself in each of these scenarios, and choose the outcome which best reflects how you might react.

1

You’ve just been promoted to manager, but have had no formal managerial training and have no experience of managing people. You are put in charge of a graduate, who is looking to you to train her from scratch, but often asks questions which you don’t know the answer to. You work in an open-plan office, where your conversations may be overheard by senior management. Do you…

a

Refer her to her employee manual, whether or not the answer to her question is in there

b

Admit that you don’t know the answer either, make a joke about your lack of experience and find out the answer from someone else

It’s Halloween in the office, and a fancy dress day has been organised by the staff social team. There is a prize for the best costume. Do you…?

a

Pull out all the stops to impress with the best, boldest costume possible

b

Pull together something quirky, but not too attention-grabbing

c

Pretend you forgot, and wear ordinary clothes

d

Wear a small accessory (such as cat ears or a facial scar) as a nod to the event, which you can easily remove and forget about

3

You’re in your first month at a new job, and your boss has started asking you to help with tasks which bear no relation to the role which you were hired to do. You don’t want to make a bad impression or come across as difficult, but you’re getting really hacked off and it’s interfering with your ability to do your actual job. Do you…

a

Make a joke to inoffensively pull your boss up on it, but perform the task as requested and hope that’s enough that they don’t ask again

b

Tell your boss to her face that it is not your job to perform such duties, and she will need to do it herself

c

Perform the tasks when requested and say nothing - this sort of thing doesn’t bother you much

d

Ask your boss for a meeting to review your job description

4

It’s the office monthly social, and the boss has insisted that everyone attend. You’ll be heading to a nearby bar to mix cocktails together, followed by a karaoke night. Do you…

a

Plan your outfit weeks in advance, approach some of your colleagues about doing a group song and start thinking of the best bars to head onto afterwards

b

Realise you have two conflicting social events already that day, agonise about which to cancel but avoid addressing the situation till the night arrives, when you whizz through all three in quick succession

c

Stand around awkwardly clutching a cocktail, refuse to get up and sing and leave as soon as your minimum obligations have been fulfilled

d

Get as drunk as possible to lubricate the situation

5

You’ve been asked to work on a long-term, collaborative project with a colleague you thoroughly dislike. Do you…

a

Tell your manager privately that you would prefer to work with someone else on the project

b

Tolerate your colleague politely, allowing her to take control and make major decisions around the project where you disagree

c

Attempt to win your colleague around and help the project go smoothly by being incredibly nice, friendly and agreeable, while venting thoroughly to your partner/non-work friends to release tension

d

Agree to work with the colleague, but take on most aspects of the project yourself, marginalising her input and making sure your supervisors are aware of your contributions

Section 2 – Preferential

Choose the statement you most agree with from each set of questions.

6

I would most like to work in an environment which...

a

Allows me to set my own hours and take responsibility for my own work flow

b

Has a hierarchical structure and rewards employees based on merit

c

Is consistent, with a clear, continual path of career progression

d

Is supportive and calm, with good job security

7

I would least like to work in an environment which…

a

Aims to reward all employees equally

b

Requires a lot of socialising or group activities

c

Values organisational skills, such as punctuality, long hours and record-keeping above all else

d

Is target-driven and encourages competition

8

My ideal team is…

a

Non-existent. I much prefer working on my own

b

Made up of more junior members who support my efforts. I’m a natural leader, and I love showing what I can do

c

Made up of like-minded, friendly people who are impressed by my contributions

d

Small and nurturing, so that even if I take a backseat they’ll still make sure my voice is heard

9

My nightmare team is…

a

Full of loud, competitive people who are all keen to take charge

b

Made up of people who are impressed by detail, rather that broader strategy or ideas

c

Keen to collaborate, rather than for me to take responsibility for my own areas of expertise

d

Incapable of making a decision, mulling over irrelevant details and processes for hours

10

I would describe myself as…

a

Calm, practical and supportive

b

Logical, competent and cautious

c

Impulsive, likeable and scatty

d

Direct, strong-willed and self-confident

11

I’m most often criticised for…

a

Being abrasive, impatient or failing to listen to others

b

Disorganisation, lack of focus or inability to focus on details

c

Failing to delegate, being overcritical or too difficult to please

d

Being conflict-avoidant, letting others take the lead or lack of creativity

You are a very adaptable worker who is suited to different working styles. You enjoy coming up with your own tasks and projects and completing them in your own way. Despite this you like to work collaboratively and bounce your ideas off other people. You might enjoy a content or social media role in a smaller creative agency or company.

You are an organiser. You are analytically minded and very good with details. You can accurately identify problems and come up with solutions. As someone who enjoys developing and implementing plans, you might be suited to a client-facing or management role. Hopefully your results will have given you a clearer idea of your personality type, but don’t worry if you’re still unsure. This test is just a guide and you may find you don’t fit neatly into one box. For more advice and guidance, visit Mr Sumo’s news and resources page. If you think you’re ready to start job hunting, find out what jobs Mr Sumo has to offer here.

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